Colt Frequent Jams

[gooddw]

I took my 51 and 60 Colts to shoot a little this weekend and was very frustated. I fired 12 shots through the 51 with 2 cap jams and once the ball crept up the cylinder and wouldn't allow it to rotate. I tried holding the revolver up and to the right as I cocked it - it still jammed. I covered the balls with bore butter and I think that caused the ball slippage.

I fired 18 shots through the 60 and it jammed twice with caps in the works.

This NEVER happens with my Remington.

I came home and promptly ordered an 1858 Remington Police in 36 caliber and will sell my Colts as soon as possible.

NBR (Nothing but Remington) for me from now on.

These two Colts are only a year old and are 44 Caliber.

 

[Don]

Sorry to hear your frustrated to the point of giving up on the Colts. It is true that they tend to jam and that Remingtons do not. I have used cap keepers on my colt nipples to help with this situation. They are just pieces of plastic tubing that slip over the cap and nipple to keep them from falling off and to keep moisture out. This keeps the spent caps on the nipple after firing and out of the action. Not completely fool proof but it helps a lot. I put up with the Colt design flaw because I like their looks and how they feel when in my hand. They are also darn good shooters. I love my Remmies too but they feel awkward in my hand. Don't give up on the Colts yet try some cap keepers or a different brand of cap first. Good luck

Don

 

[crockett]

If you still have those Colts hang on a bit more and try some better caps and nipples. I don't have any problems at all; in fact, I can't pry off unfired caps. Western gunfights would not have put their lives on the line with an unreliable firearm if more reliable choices were available. Good luck.

 

[crockett]

Also, on the balls slipping forward and jamming. Not to go over old ground but the balls ought to be slightly oversized and swage in place or shave off a ring of lead.

 

[Toomuch_36]

As Don said the plastic "cap guards" should take care of the caps falling off and jaming the works.
As for the ball slipping forward out of the cylinder what size balls are you using? Even with the aplication of bore butter on the ball before loading they should not creep out of the cylinder. The 44 cal. Colts, and Remmingtons too, should be using .454 balls or at least .451 (I use .457 in both of my Remmingtions).

Toomuch
...........
Shoot Flint

 

[Bob Riegl]

:hmm: No way a ball should "slip or fall forward" from the cylinder---they must have been terribly undersize for that to happen. Quite the opposite the size of ball is always larger than the cylinder bore so that when loading a small shaving of lead occurs to seal the bore. Try using oxyoke felt wads after the powder charge, then followed by the ball--you should also use Bore Butter on the wads or by the ones already coated. As far as caps falling off the nipples---I would think you are then also using and undersized caps---on the contrary, I usually finr the nipples to be slightly oversized and have to be filed to accpet a #11. :hatsoff:

 

[gooddw]

I read that during the war, soldiers would trade a handful of Colts for one Remington. I wonder home many of them died with a jammed action in their hand?

As far as the other comments, I use only .454 balls. I cast my own but these were some Hornadys that I had bought. Yes, the lead shaved off. It was after I had fired it four times that the fifth ball creeped forward.

All your comments are appreciated.

I like the feel of the 51 and was about to buy a 51 Navy .36 but opted for the Remington Police after this experience.

 

[Zonie]

Just so you don't feel almost alone, I've had the balls sometimes move forward.
I was using .454 balls and they shaved lead rings when rammed into the chambers.

They only seemed to move if I was firing full charge loads and I attributed it to the recoil of the .44s. I have not had this happen when shooting a .36 but in all honesty, the .36 doesn't recoil much, even with a full load.

As for the caps issue, I was just reading an old Bevel Up/Bevel Down article about the nipples used in C&B guns.
The jist of what was said is the nipples supplied with the Italian guns have Very Large holes thru them. These large holes can cause erratic ignition and contribute to the cap being blown apart, their fragments often creating jams.

C&B Pistol nipples with smaller thru holes are available from some of the suppliers and these supposedly improve ignition and help with the fragment problems.
If you wish to buy some of these aftermarket nipples it is recommended that you talk to the supplier. If you just order nipples from Dixie or from the producer of your gun, you will just get the large hole Italian parts.
At least, that's what they said. :hmm:

Zonie

 

[mewing6003]

Just a few thoughts from my experience, I used to have frequent cap fragment jams with my 1860 when I used Remington caps, quite a few where I had to take the revolver apart to get at the little bits. I switched to CCI #10's as they fit my gun better, and my cap fragment problems went away. Nearly three years now and I cant remember the last time I had a cap fragment jam (hope I didnt jinx myself with that statement!). It's been my experience that the CCI caps fragment less than than the Remingtons. The Remington caps also appear to be hotter to me, that may be an issue.

 

[gooddw]

Thanks. I was using Remington caps. I will get some CCI next time I go to Basspro. I can use these same Remington caps on the Remington without any trouble.

While I'm there, I think I will check their revolver nipples to see if they have smaller holes like someone else suggested. Maybe I'm getting to much blowback.

 

[crockett]

Some of the cheap nipples sort of taper but if you look at a percussion cap it is square. A top quality, after market nipple is likely your best bet.

 

[JackAubrey]

I own an 1860 Army,an 1851 NVY .36,and a 1858 Remington among others.I have had the same difficulties until I began pinching the caps prior to placing them on the cones.I only use RWS caps exclusively although I am certain sure other brands work just dandy.Before giving the heave to the colts give em a pinch! Best regards,J.A.

 

[gooddw]

Where do you get RWS caps?

 

[murph]

Stars&bars, if you want to unload those 60's or want to trade let me know.Murf :hatsoff:

 

[piteruu]

Try stronger main spring. I have no problem with jams since my Uberti Navy '51 has new strong main spring

 

[Charley Hart]

Yep have had similar problems with my colt. As others said pinch the caps or use #10's. When this happens to me. I usually get mad, then calm down. Disassemble the thing and then fire again.

This is the reason I favor remingtons. That and the main spring on the colts is a bit whimpy for my licking. I want to pull the trigger and hear boom. Not click.

 

[mec]

Uberti chambers are a bit larger than Pietta. with the 36, .375" balls from hornady sometimes roll into the chambers, or fit loosly and come back out swaged into the seating stem. Hornady 36 bullets are often undersized and out of round. I do not have problems with .375 balls from Speer or .380 from other sources.

 

[echo89]

I noticed the balls sliding forward in my first 51 Navy, and after a lot of frustration, I found that the rammer nose had a burr on it that was just enough to catch the ball and sometimes pull it forward enough to have it ease it's way into a jam after the first couple of rounds. Polished off the burr, no problem.